Yarrr, climb in me boat! Or in this case, me raft. At long last, the LEGO Pirates theme is back, and this $9.99 set features a few of our swashbuckling heroes facing off against the Kraken...or at least, one of its kids. (The mythological Kraken is a hell of a lot bigger!)

But I digress. Clocking in at a mere 78 pieces, this set still features a good amount of detail and play value. The standout is the new dark red octopus, poised to drag our unwitting sailors under the waves. Both pirate minifigs are much improved over the ones seen back in the early 1990s, with back torso details and a cool new golden spyglass accessory. The raft they ride upon is nothing over-the-top, but that's the idea; it's supposed to be a mishmash of broken ship parts, and the model gets that point across beautifully. The classic crow's nest is in there along with a ladder section, and the raft itself is meant to look like mast sections lashed together. There's no hidden features of any kind, however; it's just a simple raft with a few jewels and weapons that the pirates have rescued from their previous vessel, along with an annoying parrot to keep them company. Too bad it doesn't stand a chance against Kraken Junior.)

As far as smaller LEGO sets go, Kraken Attackin' is quite good. Two minifigs (three if you count the octopus), a ship of sorts, and even a pet. Let's hope our intrepid swashbucklers can make it to a proper galleon before that octopus turns them into fish food!

Ratings (on a scale of 1 to 10):

Parts: 8/10 The new octopus and spyglass pieces are great; the new parrot, not so much. The old painted scheme was better than the new blended colors.
Minifigs: 9/10 I love the design of the new pirate minifigs. Highly reminiscent of the old ones, and just as romanticized with new silly details. One even has a gold tooth!
Detail: 7/10 While it's only a small raft, the level of detail is pretty good. Just don't expect any hidden compartments or anything like that.
Playability: 8/10 A raft, two pirates, and a monster for them to fight. Perfect! Let the living room carpet become your sea.
Price to parts: 6/10 A tad steep for only 78 pieces, but again, the new octopus and spyglass pieces are worth it.
Availability: 10/10 While these are technically part of the early 2009 assortment, they've been found at the LEGO Imagination Center (in Orlando, Florida), at Toys R Us stores (where I got mine), and on LEGO Shop.
OVERALL RATING: 8/10 A bit short on pieces, but it's still plenty of fun to build. If Kraken Attackin' is any indication, the new Pirates line is off to a fantastic start!_________________Brickshelf

I'm not going to buy the Pirates sets except for the Pirate Survival and this one. The old pirate sets seem better, but I'm getting this one for the parrot and the octopus._________________I believe in LEGO Star Wars!